Pune Paan Merchants Association President Sharad More confirmed media reports that a delegation of the organisation had met Gandhi at his residence in Ahmednagar on Saturday tofelicitate him for "taking up our cause" through the parliamentary committee as the industry involved employment of about four crore people.

"Ban on gutkha is ok. But there is no proof to link raw tobacco with cancer," More told reporters.

Pawar had on Sunday cited, "I am not an expert in medical field. I used to consume gutka (flavoured tobacco mix) so I suffered this (oral cancer). I had to undergo operation. My lower and upper teeth had to be removed."

"I did that (underwent treatment) in time and that is why I came out of this.” But in Ahmednagar, some 'knowledgeable' public representatives say this (tobacco) doesnt't have any effect. "It seems these people have a deep knowledge of medical science," he added.

After Gandhi created a controversy with the statement that there is no Indian study linking tobacco with cancer, he recently also said that tobacco actually improves digestion.